Coal-fired power plants and coal mines are going down across the U.S., according to SNL Financial analyses.

Facing tougher federal health-based standards for mercury emissions in 2015, utility companies have been steadily shuttering coal-fired units, with 8,800 megawatts permanently closed in 2012 and another 5,781 megawatts projected to be closed this year.

Sayonara coal-fired power plants

The SNL list of planned coal unit retirements between 2013 and 2018 includes six units totaling 776 megawatts in Colorado. The age of the plants range from 45 to 65 years-old. The plants are being closed by Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy.

The Xcel plant closures are part of the Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act, which gave the utility accelerated cost recovery for closing the plants as part of a plan to improve Front Range air quality.

Meanwhile, SNL reports that more than 150 coal mines were idle in 2013 as the markets — both domestic and export — weakened.Read more…

Emilie Rusch covers retail and commercial real estate for The Post. A Wisconsin native and Mizzou graduate, she moved to Colorado in 2012. Before that, she worked at a small daily newspaper in South Dakota. It's the one with Mount Rushmore.